Sign up to receive free email alerts when patent applications with chosen keywords are publishedSIGN UP

Abstract:

A spill-resistant beverage container having an inwardly projecting,
annular contoured lip forming an aperture at the top of a beverage
reservoir. The aperture is smaller than the diameter of the top rim of
the reservoir. The contoured lip reduces spillage, especially when used
with shallow containers such as a martini glass. A smaller aperture in
the surface of the contoured lip enables beverage consumption, either
directly by mouth or through a straw.

Claims:

1. A spill-resistant beverage container for holding a liquid beverage,
said container comprising:at least one side wall having an upper edge,
the upper edge forming an outer rim of the container; andan annular
contoured lip projecting inwardly from the outer rim, said annular
contoured lip forming a partial upper surface of the container, wherein
an inner edge of the annular contoured lip forms a first aperture in the
upper surface of the container;wherein when liquid is placed in the
container, the annular contoured lip reduces spillage from the container
when the container is moved or tilted by a user.

2. The spill-resistant beverage container according to claim 1, wherein
the first aperture is large enough to be used to fill the container and
to provide access for cleaning the interior of the container.

3. The spill-resistant beverage container according to claim 1, wherein
the annular contoured lip is of uniform width, thereby forming the first
aperture in the center of the upper surface of the container.

4. The spill-resistant beverage container according to claim 3, wherein
the annular contoured lip includes a second aperture located between the
inner edge of the annular contoured lip and the outer rim of the
container.

5. The spill-resistant beverage container according to claim 1, wherein
the annular contoured lip varies in width at different angular positions
around the outer rim of the container, thereby forming the first aperture
off-center in the upper surface of the container.

6. The spill-resistant beverage container according to claim 1, wherein
the beverage container is constructed of a material selected from a group
consisting of glass and plastic.

7. The spill-resistant beverage container according to claim 6, wherein
the side wall of the beverage container slopes upwardly and outwardly
from a point of origin, thereby forming a conically shaped reservoir,
wherein the container further comprises:a horizontal base for supporting
the reservoir; anda vertical stem connecting the base to the reservoir.

8. The spill-resistant beverage container according to claim 1, wherein
the side wall and the annular contoured lip are formed as a single piece.

9. The spill-resistant beverage container according to claim 1, wherein
the side wall and the annular contoured lip are formed as two separate
pieces and are connected to each other utilizing an adhesive.

10. A spill-resistant drinking glass for holding a liquid beverage,
comprising:at least one side wall having an upper edge, the upper edge
forming an outer rim of a liquid reservoir;an annular contoured lip of
uniform width projecting inwardly from the outer rim, said annular
contoured lip forming a partial upper surface of the reservoir that
reduces spillage of the liquid beverage from the reservoir when the
drinking glass is moved or tilted by a user;wherein an inner edge of the
annular contoured lip forms a central aperture in the upper surface of
the reservoir, said central aperture being large enough to be used to
fill the container and to provide access for cleaning the interior of the
container; andwherein the annular contoured lip includes a second
aperture located between the inner edge of the annular contoured lip and
the outer rim of the reservoir for drinking from the reservoir, said
second aperture being smaller than the central aperture and sized in a
range of one-eighth to one-half inch to accept a drinking straw;a
horizontal base for supporting the reservoir; anda vertical stem
connecting the base to the reservoir.

11. The spill-resistant drinking glass according to claim 10, wherein the
at least one side wall is a circular side wall that slopes upwardly and
outwardly from a point of origin, thereby forming a conically shaped
reservoir.

Description:

RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001]This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application
No. 61/189,846 filed Aug. 22, 2008, the disclosure of which is
incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0002]The present invention is directed to beverage containers. More
particularly, and not by way of limitation, the present invention is
directed to a spill-resistant beverage container.

BACKGROUND

[0003]Conventional beverage containers may vary in shape and size, but
typically are merely carriers for the beverages contained within. Through
the years, specialty shaped glasses and cups have been developed for many
types of beverages, particularly in relationship to cocktail beverages.
For example, an inverted conically shaped vessel, which includes a long
stem and a base, depicts what is traditionally known as a martini glass.
Due to the cultural iconography of the martini glass, it continues to
grow in popularity and is used for many other drinks such as Manhattans,
gimlets, sidecars, and most recently the Cosmopolitan creating an
insatiable demand for candy-colored martini spin-offs. The popularity of
the aforementioned drinks has resulted in the increased use of these
types of beverage containers even though they are an ineffective
container for holding and drinking beverages without spillage. The broad
diameter and shallow slope of the walls of the martini glass make it
susceptible to spillage occurring during minimal movement.

SUMMARY

[0004]There remains a need for a spill-resistant beverage container that
retains a stylish appearance while enabling easy access to the beverage
and preventing spillage during movement or tilting of the container. The
present invention provides such a spill-resistant beverage container.

[0005]In particular, there is a need for a spill-resistant beverage
container with the basic and common properties of a martini-type glass,
i.e., a shallow conically-shaped reservoir balanced on a stiletto-stem
running between the base and the reservoir.

[0006]Embodiments of the present invention include a beverage reservoir,
such as a glass or cup, with an inwardly projecting, annular contoured
lip. A circular inner edge of the lip forms an aperture at-the top of the
reservoir, wherein the diameter of the aperture is less than the widest
diameter of the reservoir. The inwardly projecting, annular contoured lip
reduces spillage of a beverage from the reservoir when the container is
moved or tilted by a user. A smaller aperture is formed in the contoured
lip to provide access to the beverage within the reservoir either
directly by tilting the glass or by inserting a straw.

[0007]In one embodiment, the present invention is directed to a
spill-resistant beverage container for holding a liquid beverage. The
container includes at least one side wall having an upper edge, the upper
edge forming an outer rim of the container; and an annular contoured lip
projecting inwardly from the outer rim. The annular contoured lip forms a
partial upper surface of the container, wherein an inner edge of the
annular contoured lip forms a first aperture in the upper surface of the
container. When liquid is placed in the container, the annular contoured
lip reduces spillage from the container as the container is moved or
tilted by a user.

[0008]In another embodiment, the present invention is directed to a
spill-resistant drinking glass for holding a liquid beverage. The
drinking glass includes at least one side wall having an upper edge, the
upper edge forming an outer rim of a liquid reservoir; and an annular
contoured lip of uniform width projecting inwardly from the outer rim.
The annular contoured lip forms a partial upper surface of the reservoir
that reduces spillage of the liquid beverage from the reservoir when the
drinking glass is moved or tilted by a user. An inner edge of the annular
contoured lip forms a central aperture in the upper surface of the
reservoir. The central aperture is large enough to be used to fill the
container and to provide access for cleaning the interior of the
container. The annular contoured lip includes a second aperture located
between the inner edge of the annular contoured lip and the outer rim of
the reservoir for drinking from the reservoir. The second aperture is
smaller than the central aperture and is sized in a range of one-eighth
to one-half inch to accept a drinking straw. The drinking glass also
includes a horizontal base for supporting the reservoir, and a vertical
stem connecting the base to the reservoir.

[0009]In a particular embodiment, the at least one side wall is a circular
side wall that slopes upwardly and outwardly from a point of origin,
thereby forming a conically shaped reservoir.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0010]For a more complete understanding of the present invention, and the
advantages thereof, reference is now made to the following descriptions
taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein like numbers
designate like objects, and in which:

[0011]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of a beverage
container according to the present invention; and

[0012]FIG. 2 is a top view of the beverage container of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

[0013]In the following description, terms such as inwardly, upward,
circular, diameter, proportionately, and the like, are solely for the
purpose of clarity in illustrating various embodiments, and should not be
taken as words of limitation. The drawings are for the purpose of
illustrating an exemplary embodiment of the present invention and are not
intended to be dimensional or to scale.

[0014]The present invention provides a beverage container or glass having
features to reduce spillage of the liquid beverage when the container or
glass is moved. The container may be made from various materials such as
glass, plastic, and the like. The present invention is particularly
applicable to beverage containers having a shallow reservoir, which
increases the likelihood that the liquid beverage within will be spilled
during minimal movement. Examples of such shallow vessels include martini
glasses, margarita glasses, and some types of champagne glasses.

[0015]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of a beverage
container 10 according to the present invention. In this embodiment, the
present invention is styled as a martini-type glass having a shallow
liquid reservoir 11. According to the invention, the reservoir has an
inwardly projecting, annular contoured lip 12 at the top of the
reservoir. A circular inner edge 13 of the lip forms an aperture 14 at
the top of the reservoir, wherein the diameter of the aperture is less
than the widest diameter of the reservoir. The rimmed, inwardly
projecting, contoured lip reduces spillage of a beverage from the
reservoir when the container is moved. A smaller aperture 17 is formed on
a top surface of the contoured lip 12 to provide access to the beverage
within the reservoir either directly by tilting the glass or by inserting
a straw.

[0016]A conventional stem 15 and base 16 support the reservoir. The base
as shown is circular and is large enough to keep the container 10 upright
when placed on a horizontal or nearly horizontal surface. In other
embodiments, the base and the stem may be other shapes and other sizes.
In the embodiment shown, the base is integral with the stem 15 that runs
between the base and the liquid holding reservoir 11. The reservoir 11
may have many different shapes and sizes, but as shown is a conical shape
that is common to martini glasses. The reservoir is relatively shallow,
and its shallowly angled surfaces make it susceptible to spillage when
the beverage container 10 is moved.

[0017]FIG. 2 is a top view of the beverage container of FIG. 1.

[0018]In one embodiment, the reservoir 11 is hand-blown glass. The
reservoir and the contoured lip 12 are blown as a single piece, and then
the aperture 14 is trimmed to form the lip. The contoured lip 12 is then
pierced to form a smaller aperture 17, allowing for consumption of the
beverage.

[0019]In another embodiment, the reservoir 11 and the contoured lip 12 are
manufactured as two separate pieces, and are then joined together at the
widest point of the reservoir. The pieces may be joined by heating them
or with an adhesive.

[0020]It should be understood that the inwardly projecting contoured lip
12, while generally circular, may have many different curves or shapes
according to the present invention to give a different visual appearance
while still preventing portions of the beverage from spilling out of the
reservoir 11. In elevation, the lip may also be of varying shapes. For
example, the lip may be planar and horizontal; may be straight between
the outer rim and the central aperture 14 but sloped upward toward the
center; or may be curved in a convex curve between the outer rim and the
central aperture (for example, a parabolic curve) to provide a smooth
transition from the sides of the reservoir to the central aperture.

[0021]Additionally, although the central aperture 14 illustrated in FIGS.
1 and 2 is circular, the inner edge 13 of the contoured lip may have many
different shapes or curves according to the present invention to provide
a uniquely shaped aperture 14 and give a different visual appearance.

[0022]Likewise, the smaller aperture 17, as shown in the illustration and
used for beverage consumption may vary in size and have many different
shapes or curves while still allowing the beverage to be consumed from a
straw or the user's lips. In one embodiment, the smaller aperture is
circular and is sized in a range of one-eighth to one-half inch to accept
a drinking straw.

[0023]Preferably, the inner edge 13 of the contoured lip is sized so that
sufficient room is provided to allow for filling the reservoir 11 and
cleaning the inside of the reservoir.

[0024]In an alternative embodiment, the contoured lip 12 may be removable
to facilitate cleaning the inside of the reservoir 11. In this
embodiment, the contoured lip may be attached, for example, with a
temporary adhesive, screw threads, or other water-tight locking
mechanism.

[0025]It is thus believed that the operation and construction of the
present invention will be apparent from the foregoing description. While
the system and apparatus shown and described has been characterized as
being preferred, it will be readily apparent that various changes and
modifications could be made therein without departing from the scope of
the invention as defined in the following claims.